1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a surgical stapling device and more particularly to a surgical stapling device suitable for treatment of internal hemorrhoids.
2. Background of Related Art
Anastomosis is the surgical joining of separate hollow organ sections. In known circular anastomosis procedures, two ends of organ sections are joined by means of a stapling device which drives a circular array of staples through each organ section and simultaneously cores any tissue interior of the driven circular array of staples to free a tubular passage. Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,234,624, 6,945,444, 6,053,390, 5,588,579, 5,119,983, 4,646,745, 4,576,167, 4,473,077.
Typically the circular stapling device has an elongated shaft having a handle portion at a proximal end and a staple cartridge at a distal end. An anvil assembly including an anvil rod with an attached anvil head is mounted to the distal end of the device. The anvil is approximated to clamp tissue between the staple holding component and the anvil. The clamped tissue is stapled by actuation of the handle portion to drive circular arrays of staples through the tissue and into anvil depressions on the anvil head to form the staples. An annular knife is advanced with the handle actuation to core tissue inboard of the staple array.
Surgical stapling devices for performing circular anastomosis have also been used to treat hemorrhoids in the rectum. Hemorrhoids are masses of tissue in the anus containing enlarged blood vessels. Internal hemorrhoids are inside the anal canal; external hemorrhoids lie outside the anal canal. Hemmorhoidectomy is a surgical procedure in which the hemorrhoids are removed. Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is a surgical procedure in which a stapling device is used to remove tissue just above the hemorrhoids in order to pull the hemorrhoids back up inside the rectum and reduce the symptoms. The staples interrupt the blood flow of the superior hemorrhoidal arterial branches, cutting off the blood supply, thus causing the hemorrhoids to shrink. This is used for treatment of internal hemorrhoids.
During the use of a circular stapling device for hemorrhoid treatment, the anvil head and the staple holding component of the device are inserted through and into the rectum with the anvil head and the stapling holding component in an open or unapproximated position. Thereafter, a purse string suture is used to pull the internal hemorrhoidal tissue and/or mucosal tissue toward the anvil rod. Next, the anvil head and the staple holding component are approximated to clamp the hemorrhoidal tissue and/or mucosal tissue between the anvil head and the staple holding component. The stapling device is fired to remove the hemorrhoidal tissue and/or mucosal tissue and staple the cut tissue.
It would be advantageous to provide a device with an option to adjust the amount of tissue for purse stringing to enhance control over the amount of tissue removed.